Russia has had many films and TV shows about crime and such, but this is, IMHO, the first one which actually seems to be designed to turn young boys away from it, from crime and violence.

The show is about a bunch of boys in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Moscow who decide to unite and become a gang

They all have own reasons.

One just likes the easy money from crime

One turns gangster to impress his girlfriend and (having a gun and a bunch of buddies to back him up) to protect her from a previous boyfriend who is stalking her
He ends up fighting and killing the ex-BF, in the last episode I saw, but doesn't tell the girl about that, just tells her the guy "left forever".

Another kid wants to show off to his big brother, who is himself a hardened ex-convict, gang member, and pimp

The big brother thinks he is weak and a coward, always tells him he is not cut out for the streets; which is why he got into fights all the time, getting himself into the hospital every week, to prove him wrong

But, overall, it is really about the boys forming an intense personal connection, like a family, willing to protect each other, always, fight and die for each other

However (I have not gotten that far yet, am only on the fourth episode, watching on the internet, having only heard about this show recently), the boys eventually go in too far, way over their heads, tangling not just with other young thugs and police in their neighborhood, but with the grown-up criminal groups, the mafia. Basically, I am told by others who already watched much farther on television, by last episode, only one of them will still be alive...

It is a wonderful lesson to all young men, full of hormones and stupidity, who want to go out and play this dangerous game. I must say, it must have took guts for TNT to make such a show, they could not have known for sure if the authorities would even allow it to be aired. God knows, the government here these days does not like the seedier parts of Russian life aired on national TV like this lol But, it was allowed through by some miracle, and debuted in March, I believe, of this year. Great show.

There's definitely a connection between fashion/media and youth-culture/education, so we could think about 'links' between pedestrian 'couture' (e.g., London Fog) and the 'prestige' associated with self-expression/rebelliousness (e.g., school uniforms).

I mean, does consumerism-culture automatically make us 'robots'?

There's no reason we can't 'use' media culture to our advantage and think about anti-civilization 'comedy' more optimistically. That's the only way IMO to come out of our 'juvenile-detention' mentality approach to youth leadership (e.g., Kids).

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TEACHER: We are considering school uniforms.
STUDENT: That'll take away from our right to be individuals...
TEACHER: Not true; it will take away the peer-pressure of 'fashion.'
STUDENT: We prefer our "MTV liberties."
TEACHER: Well, it's producing drug-abuse and juvenile-delinquency!
STUDENT: What do you propose? Bow-ties in gym class??
TEACHER: No, we propose more 'decorum' in-and-out of the classroom...
STUDENT: In that case, we want more school field trips.
TEACHER: That's a swell compromise. We could visit Longwood Gardens.
STUDENT: Maybe we simply watch too much television...

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starring the great Johnny Depp presents stories about swashbuckling pirates on the high seas in 18th Century amidst social intrigue around England and elsewhere.

The pirates are led by the bold and humorous Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), and we see big-screen presentations of maritime consciousness regarding outlandish behaviors (if not graphic or pornographic --- it's Disney after all).

Recently, films from all kinds of movie studios present tales of outrageous deeds and even strange kinds of danger/violence and/or vigilantism-daydreams. Horror films, comic book adapted films, and Disney's Pirates franchise all represent a new age cinematic investment in 'wild-life storytelling.'

Why is this the new trend, and when did it begin? Could it be traced to the advent of the circus perhaps (Barnum & Bailey)?

Regardless, the fact that youngsters are exposed to this kind of radical psychology suggests that politically discussing education of the youth must require an attention to this new kind of 'creativity lens.'

As we know, media and the arts have been invaluable complements to the modern classroom...